10 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



among all the rest of the shoal, and, hunting 

 me round and round until I was well nigh ex- 

 hausted, was on the point of making me his 

 prey, when a bold and happy idea occurred to 

 me : springing out of the water, six inches or 

 more upon the dry shingle, I lay gasping and 

 half dead with fear, but out of reach of my 

 enemy. The refraction of the water enabled 

 me to see him, though he could not see me ; 

 he beat up and down the spot at which I had 

 disappeared, with much the air of a retriever 

 puppy, when the squirrel he has chased for the 

 first time takes refuge in a tree. His search 

 being in vain, he retired, and I had just strength 

 left to squatter into the water again, and soon re- 

 gained my accustomed haunt beneath the stone.* 

 " There seems something very shocking, and 

 contrary to the benevolent design of Nature, 

 that animals so helpless and calculated to enjoy 

 life as we were, should be exposed to these 

 incessant attacks. Why are we not allowed to 

 enjoy life in peace and happiness without fear 

 or danger P" 



* This anecdote was related to me by a lady who wit- 

 nessed the occurrence, and in whose power of observation, 

 as well as veracity, implicit reliance may be placed. 



